Prefabricated fireplace



ay 1955 J. GILLEN 2,707,464

- PREFABRiCATED FIREPLACE Filed March 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nymvrox.

Jz/a/way 2,707,464 Patented May 3, 1955 PREFABRICATED FIREPLACE John L. Giiien, Dowagiac, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hearthplace, Inc., Elkhart, Ind.

Application March 12, 1951, Serial No. 215,115 11 Claims. c1. 126--121) This invention relates to improvements in a prefabricated fireplace.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a novel form of prefabricated fireplace which is light and inexpensive, and which may be installed or set up on the existing floor of a dwelling without reinforcing or altering the dwelling other than to provide openings for a chimney flue.

Second, to provide a prefabricated fireplace which effectively functions as a heating stove by having circulatory air space surrounding all surfaces of the fire chamber.

Third, to provide a prefabricated fireplace that effectively insulates the fire and smoke chambers from the outer decorative walls of the fireplace.

Fourth, to provide a prefabricated fireplace having a safe welded sheet metal fire chamber and smoke flue enclosed in a light weight wood and nonmetallic panel cabinet.

Fifth, to provide a prefabricated fireplace with an inner metallic fire chamber and smoke chamber arranged to structurally support the weight of a chimney flue connected to the smoke chamber.

Sixth, to provide a prefabricated fireplace with an outer decorative casing adapted to be inexpensively assembled by nailing or screwing nonmetallic panels to a wooden framework.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a preferred form of my fireplace structure.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the fireplace partially broken away in vertical cross-section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view through the front corner of the fireplace taken along the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view through the fireplace taken along the plane of the line 33 in Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view through the lower portion of the fireplace taken along the plane of the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Generally my fireplace consists of an inner sheet metal fire chamber 1 open on the front side as at 1-A and communicating at the top with a combined smoke chamber and heat exchanger 2 also of sheet metal construction. The fire chamber and heat exchanger are mounted in spaced relationship from the inner walls of an outer decorative cabinet 3 so as to provide circulatory air space 4 over all surfaces of the fire chamber and heat exchanger. Lower air ducts 5 open through the sides of the outer cabinet to the air space 4 to admit cold air while upper air ducts 6 open through the upper ends of the side walls to deliver hot air into the room. A smoke flue or chimney generally indicated at 7 communicates with the smoke chamber 2 and is supported thereby. The outer cabinet 3 has an opening 3A registering with the opening 1-A in the front of the fire chamber.

Considering the construction of the inner metallic elements of the fireplace in greater detail it will be noted that the bottom plate 8 of the fire chamber 1 extends substantially beyond the side walls 9 and rear wall 10 or the fire chamber to constitute a supporting plate and hearth extension in front of the fire chamber. The side and rear wall are permanently welded to the bottom plate.

I: The bottom plate 8 is supported upon four legs 11 which are formed by folding a strip of sheet metal into rectangular tubular form. The lower ends of the legs 11 rest on and within a rectangular base 12 formed of angle iron. Vertically extending flanges 13 of the base locate the legs 11 while the inturned horizontal fingers 14 directly support the legs.

The rear wall 10 of the fire chamber is forwardly inclined at its upper end as at 15 and joined with a down wardly and forwardly inclined front plate 16 on the heat exchanger 2. A relatively narrow front plate 17 across the top of the front of the fire chamber is folded outwadly as at 18 to form a lintel over the fireplace opening. The upper end of the inclined rear wall 15 forms a smoke flue opening 19 and a damper 20 is provided for closing the opening.

The bottom wall 21 of the heat exchange chamber 2 projects rearwardly over the back of the fire chant? and is supported at its rear end from the fire chamber by struts 22 welded to the rear corners of the fire chamber and heat exchange chamber. The bottom wall 21 of the heat exchange chamber projects laterally beyond the side walls of the heat exchange chamber as at 23 (see Fig. l) to form a support for four upper struts 24. The side walls 25 of the heat exchange chamber converge upwardly with the inclined front wall 16 to a chimney support plate 26. The chimney support plate 26 forms the top wall of the heat exchange chamber and has a cylindrical smoke collar 27 opening therethrough and arranged to telescope within the lower end of the chimney 7. The support plate 26 projects beyond the front and K sides of the heat exchange chamber and is supported at its corners by the previously mentioned upper struts 24.

Thus the support plate 26 is well adapted to support the weight of the chimney 7 through the panels of the heat exchange chamber and the several struts provided. The chimney 7 is of a commercial and available prefabricated construction and forms no part of the present invention.

The outer cabinet 3 is built up upon a framework which is directly connected to the rectangular base frame 12 as is most particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The

, vertical flange 13 of the base frame has a wooden border strip 28 secured to all sides thereof. Secured to the cornets of the wooden border frame are four upright wooden columns 29. As a matter of practice these columns are formed of standard 2 x 6 lumber.

Above the from opening tothe fire chamber 1 the corner posts 29 may be provided with upwardly and inwardly inclined extension pieces 3% so that the upper part of the casing 3 is tapered inwardly toward the top but this is not essential. When the upper portion of the casing is tapered there are provided upper side panels 31 and an upper front panel 32 which latter extends completely across the front of the fireplace and over the front of the fire chamber. Lower side panels 33 are joined at their front edges with narrow front panels 34 along each side of the fire chamber opening. Desirably the meeting edges k of the several panels 31, 32, 33, and 34 are joined with a tectcd from the heat of the fire chamber by inner panels of fireproof construction such as asbestos board. These inner fireproof panels include side panels 36 which extend from the base frame 12 to the level of the tops of the columns 2). Since the side walls 9 of the fire chamber converge rearwardly, the side panels 36 also desirably converge rcarwardly to be parallel with the sides of the fire chamber. The forward edges of the inner side panels are nailed to the front corner posts as at 37 (see Fig. 2)

and are secured to the inner sides of the rear corner posts by metallic extension brackets 38 (see Figs. 3 and 4).

A rear fireproof panel 39 is nailed across the backs of the rear corner posts and extends from the floor to the top of the fireplace cabinet. The rear edges of the inner side panels abut against the front surface of this rear panel and thus completely shield the outer side panels from the heat of the fire chamber. if desired the space between the inner side panels 36 and the outer side panels 31 and 33 can be filled with insulating material. The air ducts 5 and 6 project through the inner and outer side panels as illustrated.

An upper front panel of fireproof asbestos 49 is nailed to the fronts of the front corner posts 29 and thus extends in upwardly converging relationship with the upper front decorative panel 32 to shield it from the heat of the fire chamber and heat exchange chamber. As is most clearly shown in Fig. 2 the front edges of the side insulating panel 36 abut against the rear of the upper front panel 40 to completely shield the wooden corner posts. The lower edge of the upper front insulating panel 40 rests upon the out-turned lintel plate 18 on the front of the fire chamber.

Below the upper front panels and alongside of the fire chamber opening the lower front decorative panels 34 are connected with the front edges of the side walls 9 of the fire chamber by decorative metal plates 41 which are screwed to the front edges of the side walls 9 as at 42. These decorative metal plates 41 are of desirably relatively thin brass or bronze construction. Little heat is conducted from the walls of the fire chamber through the plates 41 because of the thin cross-section and because all of the air drawn into the fireplace will wipe across these plates and keep them cool. A vertical column of insulating material 43 is positioned between the metal decorative plates 41 and the front edges of the inner insulating panels 36 to complete the insulation of the outer decorative panels from the heat of the fire chamber.

The top of the cabinet is formed by a plywood or other panel 44 resting upon and secured to the upper ends of the corner posts. A layer of insulating material 45 is secured to the under side of the top panel by a top insulating panel 46 which fits into and between the vertical insulating panels 36, 39, and 40. The panels 44 and 46 and the insulating layer 45 are clamped in spaced relationship above the support plate 26 by means of bolts 47 passed through the several plates and sleeves 48 positioned around the bolts.

Desirably in installing the fireplace a layer of insulating material 49 is deposited within the base frame 12 to protect the floor from the heat of the fire plate 8. The insulating layer 4-9 is spaced from the bottom of the plate 8 to provide circulatory air space along the bottom of the fire chamber as well as along the back and sides thereof. A curved decorative hearth 50 may be slid under the front edge of the fire plate 8 to improve the appearance of the fireplace. The outer side panels 33 and 31 are desirably extended bcyond the rear edge of the columns as at 51 to engage the vertical wall 52 of a building in spaced relationship with the rear insulating panel 39. The side walls are notched at their rear corners as at 53 to accommodate the baseboard 54 and ventilating slots 55 are provided for conducting away any hot air that might accumulate betwcen the wall of the building and the back wall of the cabinet.

A fireplace constructed according to the foregoing description will weigh less than an ordinary piano and thus f can be installed on practically any floor structure without reinforcement or alteration.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a horizontal rectangular metal base frame having upstanding flanges about its periphery, a wood frame secured around said flanges and having wooden corner posts extending above the corners thereof, a sheet metal fire chamber having an open front and a flat bottom plate with metal legs projecting below the plate, said legs being supported on and located by said base frame, a sheet metal heat exchange chamber connected to the upper end of said fire chamber and supported thereby, a top plate on said heat exchange chamber forming a smoke opening from said heat exchange chamber, fireproof inner panels of heat insulating material secured to said corner posts and surrounding the sides and back of said fire chamber and heat exchange chamber in spaced relationship therewith, a front fireproof panel of heat insulating material secured to said corner posts between said side panels and above the open front of said fire chamber, outer decorative panels secured to said corner posts in spaced relationship to said side and front fireproof panels, lower front decorative panels positioned along the side edges of the open front of said fire chamber, decorative metal trim panels connecting the front edges of said fire chamber to the inner edges of said lower front panels, upper and lower air ducts opening through said side panels and adjacent inner panels, a top panel supported on top of said posts, and an upper fireproof panel of heat insulating material supported by said top panel in spaced relationship therebelow and spaced above said top plate, said top and upper panels defining a smoke pipe opening registering with said smoke opening.

2. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a horizontal angle iron base having upstanding flanges about its periphery, a wood frame secured around said flanges and having wooden front and back corner posts extending above the corners thereof, a sheet metal fire chamber having an open front and a flat bottom plate with metal legs projecting below the plate, said legs supporting said plate in spaced relationship above said base, a sheet metal heat exchange chamber opening to the upper end of said fire chamber and supported thereby, a top plate on said heat exchange chamber forming a smoke opening from said heat exchange chamber, struts supporting the corners of said top plate from said fire chamber, insulating fireproof inner panels secured to said corner posts and surrounding the sides and back of said fire chamber and heat exchange chamber in spaced relationship therewith, a front insulating fireproof panel secured to said corner posts between said side panels and above the open front of said fire chamber, outer decorative panels secured to said corner posts in spaced relationship to said side and front fireproof panels, lower front decorative panels secured across the lower ends of said front posts and positioned along the side edges of the open front of said fire chamber, decorative metal trimmed panels connecting the front edges of said fire chamber to the inner edges of said lower front panels, upper and lower air ducts opening through said side panels and adjacent inner panels, and a top panel having a smoke pipe opening registering with said smoke opening in said top plate, said top panel extending between said outer panels and having an insulating fireproof facing on its inner surface extending between said insulating panels in spaced relationship with said top plate.

3. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a horizontal angle iron base having upstanding flanges about its periphcry, a wood frame secured around said flanges and having wooden front and back corner posts extending above the corners thereof, a sheet metal fire chamber having an open front and a fiat bottom plate with metal legs projecting below the plate, said legs supporting said plate in spaced relationship above said base, a sheet metal heat exchange chamber opening to the upper end of said fire chamber and supported thereby, a top plate on said heat exchange chamber forming a smoke opening from said heat exchange chamber, struts supporting the corners of said top plate from said fire chamber, insulating fireproof inner panels secured to said corner posts and surrounding the sides and back of said fire chamber and heat exchange chamber in spaced relationship therewith, a front insulating fireproof panel secured to said corner posts between said side panels and above the open front of said fire chamber, outer decorative panels secured to said corner posts in spaced relationship to said side and front fireproof panels, lower front decorative panels secured across the lower ends of said front posts and positioned along the side edges of the open front of said fire chamber, upper and lower air ducts opening through said side panels and adjacent inner panels, and a top panel having a smoke pipe opening registering with said smoke opening in said top plate,

said top panel extending between said outer panels and having an insulating fireproof facing on its inner surface extending between said insulating panels in spaced relationship with said top plate.

4. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a wooden frame including four upright corner posts, top, side and front panels on the outside of said frame, said front panel terminating along its lower edge intermediate of the height of said frame, lower front panels along the sides of the front of said frame and below said front panel and coacting with said front panel to form a fireplace opening, inner insulating panels 'of fireproof material secured to said frame in spaced relationship with said top, side and front panels, a rear panel of insulating fireproof material secured to said frame and engaging the rear edges of the top and side insulating panels, a sheet metal fireplace disposed within said frame in spaced relationship with said insulating panels and having an open front side registering with said fireplace opening, a bottom wall on said fireplace supported in spaced relationship above the bottom of said frame whereby circulatory air space is provided around all inner surfaces of said metal fireplace, a layer of fireproof insulating material disposed in the bottom of said frame and in spaced relation below said bottom wall, a sheet metal heat exchange chamber connected to the upper end of said metal fireplace and supported thereby, a plate forming the top of said heat exchange chamber and provided with a smoke collar, braces extending between said plate and said metal fireplace and adapting said plate to support the weight of a chimney, and decorative metal strips connecting the front side edges of said metal fireplace to the inner edges of said lower front panels.

5. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a frame including four upright corner posts, top, side and front panels on the outside of said frame, said front panel terminating along its lower edge intermediate of the height of said frame, lower front panels along the sides of the front of said frame and below said front panel and coacting with said front panel to form a fireplace opening, inner insulating panels of fireproof material secured to said frame in spaced relationship with said top, side and front panels, a rear panel of insulating fireproof material secured to said frame and engaging the rear edges of the top and side insulating panels, a sheet metal fireplace disposed within said frame in spaced relationship with said insulating panels and having an open front side registering with said fireplace opening, a bottom wall on said fireplace supported in spaced relationship above the bottom of said frame whereby circulatory air space is provided around all inner surfaces of said metal fireplace, a sheet metal heat exchange chamber connected to the upper end of said metal fireplace and supported thereby, a plate forming the top of said heat exchange chamber and provided with a smoke collar, braces extending between said plate and said metal fireplace and adapting said plate to support the Weight of a chimney, and decorative metal strips connecting the front side edges of said metal fireplace to the inner edges of said lower front panels.

6. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, a frame including upright corner posts, top, side and front panels on the outside of said frame, said front panel terminating along the lower edge intermediate of the height of said frame, lower front panels along the sides of the front of said frame and below said front panel and coacting with said front panel to form a fireplace opening, inner insulating panels of fireproof material secured to said frame in spaced relationship with said top, side and front panels, a rear panel of insulating fireproof material secured to said frame and engaging the rear edges of the top and side insulating panels, a sheet metal fireplace structure disposed within said frame in spaced relationship with said insulating panels and having an open front side registering with said fireplace opening, a bottom wall on said fireplace structure supported in spaced relationship above the bottom of said frame whereby circulatory air space is provided around all inner surfaces of said metal fireplace, a plate forming the top of said fireplace structure and provided with a smoke opening, braces extending between said plate and a lower portion of said fireplace and adapting said plate to support the weight of a chimney, and decorative metal strips connecting the front side edges of said metal fireplace to the inner edges of said lower front panels.

7. In a prefabricated fireplace construction, a sheet metal fire chamber and heat exchanger structure having a fireplace opening in one side of said fire chamber and a smoke outlet opening in the top of the heat exchanger, a cabinet of relatively light nonmetallic construction having walls enclosing the top, front and sides of said structure in spaced relationship therewith and extending rearwardly to a back plane spaced rearwardly from the back of said structure and having an opening registering with said fireplace opening, legs supporting said structure within said cabinet and in spaced relationship with the bottom thereof, inner walls of fireproof insulating material supported by said cabinet independently of said structure and in spaced relationship to the outer walls and the back plane of the cabinet and in spaced relationship to the walls of said structure to provide a circulatory air heating space including a space along the bottom of said structure, and air ducts opening from the exterior of said cabinet to said air heating space in vertically spaced positions, said fireplace structure tapering rearwardly within said cabinet and said inner insulating walls being correspondingly obliquely arranged within said cabinet to be parallel with the vertical walls of said structure.

8. In a prefabricated fireplace construction, a sheet metal fire chamber and heat exchanger structure having a fireplace opening in one side of said fire chamber and a smoke outlet opening in the top of the heat exchanger, a cabinet of relatively light nonmetallic construction having walls enclosing the top, front and sides of said structure in spaced relationship therewith and extending rearwardly to a back plane spaced rearwardly from the back of said structure and having an opening registering with said fireplace opening, legs supporting said structure within said cabinet and in spaced relationship with the bottom thereof, inner walls of fireproof insulating material supported by said cabinet independently of said structure and in spaced relationship to the outer walls and the back plane of the cabinet and in spaced relationship to the walls of said structure to provide a circulatory air heating space including a space along the bottom of said structure, and air ducts opening from the exterior of said cabinet to said air heating space in vertically spaced positions.

9. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, an inner fire chamber and connected heat exchange chamber of sheet metal, legs depending from the bottom of said fire chamber, a base of rectangularly arranged angle iron having a flat bottom adapted to be supported on the floor of a room, flanges of said angle iron base supporting and locating said legs but being unconnected thereto, corner posts secured to said base and projecting thereabove, cabinet forming spaced inner and outer panels carried by said posts in spaced relationship to each other and to said sheet metal structure, said outer panels at the top and sides of said structure extending rearwardly to back edges located behind said structure said inner panels being of fireproof insulating material and being unconnected to said ehamher, and a back panel of fireproof insulating material carried by the rear corner posts in forwardly spaced relation to the plane of the back edges of the outer panels and in rearwardly spaced relation to said fire chamber and contacting the inner panels at the top and sides of the cabinet.

10. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, an inner fire chamber of sheet metal, legs depending from the bottom of said fire chamber, a base of rectangularly arranged angle iron having a fiat bottom adapted to be supported on the floor of a room, flanges of said angle iron base supporting and locating said legs but being unconnected thereto, corner posts secured to said base and projecting thereabove, cabinet forming spaced inner and outer panels carried by said posts in spaced relationship to each other and to said sheet metal structure, said outer panels at the top and sides of said structure extending rearwardly to back edges located behind said structure said inner panels being of fireproof insulating material and being unconnected to said chamber, and a back panel of fireproof insulating material carried by the rear corner posts in foru 8 wardly spaced relation to the plane of the back edges of the outer panels and in rearwardly spaced relation to said fire chamber and contacting the innerpanels at the top and sides of the cabinet.

11. A prefabricated fireplace comprising, an inner sheet metal fire chamber, legs depending from the bottom of said fire chamber, a base supporting said legs and having a flat bottom adapted to rest on the floor of a room, flanges on said base locating said legs, corner posts secured to said base and projecting thereabove, cabinet forming spaced inner and outer panels carried by said posts in spaced relationship to each other and to said sheet metal structure, said outer panels at the top and sides of said structure extending rearwardly to back edges located behind said structure said inner panels being of fireproof insulating material and being unconnected to said chamber, and a back panel of fireproof insulating material carried by the rear corner posts in forwardly spaced relation to the plane of the back edges of the outer panels and in rearwardly spaced relation to said fire chamber and contacting the inner panels at the top and sides of the cabinet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 200,771 Smith Feb. 26, 1878 745,648 McFarland Dec. 1, 1903 1,699,241 Johnson Jan. 15, 1929 2,223,763 Heinz Dec. 3, 1940 2,527,930 Howrey Oct. 31, 1950 

